Day, Hawley Help in Canterbury Chapel Drive

(from Canterbury Downs release)With the help of Hall of Fame jockeys Pat Day and Sandy Hawley, Canterbury Park and the Race Track Chaplaincy of America announced that nearly half of its $250,000 fundraising goal for a new chapel has been met.

Day and Hawley were at Canterbury Park recently for an autograph session to kick off the effort for the new "Dean Kutz Memorial Chapel" to be erected at the track next spring. Later in the evening, the two spoke after dinner to a standing room only crowd of 250 about racing and religion. Local horseman Barry Butzow made a $20,000 contribution, and local horse owner/architect Steve Erban donated recently completed drawings of the structure.

In total, $60,000 was raised between the autograph session, gala dinner, and individual donations. The Canterbury Park Minnesota Fund, in conjunction with the Sampson family, has combined and will match all money raised by the RTCA, bringing the final for the weekend to $120,000.

"We are thrilled with support of our wonderful race fans, local horsemen, and the tremendous generosity of the Sampson family to get this chapel built for all of us who live and work on the backside," said Canterbury Park chaplain Tommy Bartram.